New Lithium Rush! Toyota converts to Li-ion from NiMh - TNR.V, CZX.V, MAI.V, MCI.V, WLC.V, CLQ.V

Toyota has finally come to their senses and admits Lithium-Ion is the wave of the future...

http://blogs.edmunds.com/greencaradvisor/2009/11/toyota-reportedly-planning-prius-wagon-or-suv-with-lithium-battery-pack.html

Toyota Motor Corp.'s made no secret of it desire to leverage its successful Prius into an entire line of cars - why not make good use of a name that's synonymous with 'hybrid' to so many people?

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Toyota's been toying with the idea of a Prius wagon for years, as shown by the Hybrid X Concept it debuted at the 2007 Geneva auto show.
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So its no surprise that a Japanese newspaper - the widely circulatedYomiuri - is reporting that the automaker plans to launch a Prius sport wagon or sport utility vehicle around the end of next year.

The timing seems spot-on. After all, the industry journal Automotive News reported way back in October of 2007 that Toyota planners had said the 2010 Prius sedan would be followed in a year or so by a wagon version.

That's the year Toyota actually showed us what a Prius wagon might look like with the unveiling of the Hybrid X Concept at the Geneva auto show.

Production would certainly be no stretch.

It doesn't sell any wagons in the U.S., but Toyota builds several for the home market that could provide underpinnings for a Prius hybrid version. A good argument can be built for considering the U.S.-market Venza (right)introduced this year to be a sporty wagon.

As for a Prius SUV - well, what's the Lexus RX 400h except a Prius SUV wrapped in a luxury body?

A little odd-sounding is the reported choice of a lithium-ion chemistry for the vehicle's batteries - top Toyota officials have been publicly proclaiming for months now that they don't believe lithium-ion batteries are sufficiently cheap or reliable yet for retail use.